# Renewing yellowed headlights **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 20, 2014, 7:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115 "2014-07-20T07:57:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/21 "2014-07-21T19:16:24Z")
The 3M kit, about $15, did fine for my two cars. It’s been 2-3 years (garaged) and there’s little degradation of the surfaces. One caveat: mask the area around the lenses with something tough like milk jug plastic. Otherwise, if your hand slips just once, you will damage the adjacent trim pieces or paint and you will regret it. ---
**Author:** ![harpalong](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/harpalong/32/2878_2.png) [@harpalong](https://community.cartalk.com/u/harpalong)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/22 "2014-07-21T22:24:15Z")
I have a 2005 Chevy, Malbu Maxx. The driver’s side front headlamp lens looks like it’s yellowing from the inside. I used FW-1 on both the lenses. The passenger side is better, but the driver’s side is still yellow. These bulbs are defective and burn the lenses so I think this is the reason. Anyone else have this problem? Thanks for any responses. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/23 "2014-07-21T22:24:48Z")
I can get a pair for of new headlight lenses for my car for $80. So I just replace them every 5-6 years. Takes all of 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/24 "2014-07-21T22:36:44Z")
Rockauto has replacement headlight housings for the 2005 Malibu for about $50, so that’d be a pretty cheap option. And do you mean the housing is defective? The bulbs are pretty standard, hard to imagine how they’d be defective. ---
**Author:** ![harpalong](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/harpalong/32/2878_2.png) [@harpalong](https://community.cartalk.com/u/harpalong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/25 "2014-07-22T00:30:52Z")
Thanks for your response FoDaddy and Rockauto. All I know is that the plastic of the lens is melted close to the turn signal light bulb. I’ve had to replace that bulb multiple times UNTIL the plastic melted and let in air so the bulb wouldn’t overheat and die again. My son-in-law, who owned the car originally, had the same problem. He commented that I probably wouldn’t have any more problems with the bulb now that the plastic had melted. He was right. These lenses also catch leaves inbetween the lens and the hood of the car. I’m not someone with a lot of tools, so I have to use a leaf blower or sometimes a thin piece of cardboard/paper to get them out or they just stay. If I get the nerve to try to take the lens off, I’ll see if my theory is right. If I can clean it, I will. Otherwise, I’ll get a new one. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/26 "2014-07-22T00:44:49Z")
Your Malibu Maxx uses the turn signal filament for the daytime running light. There’s been a recall: [http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/results.cfm?action\_number=EA09004&SearchType=QuickSearch&summary=true](http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/results.cfm?action_number=EA09004&SearchType=QuickSearch&summary=true) ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/27 "2014-07-22T01:09:14Z")
"Toothpaste only would work for lightly yellowed lenses. . ." If you go the toothpaste route, use Pepsodent. “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you clean your lights with Pepsodent”. (Sorry, I couldn’ t resist this comment). ---
**Author:** ![harpalong](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/harpalong/32/2878_2.png) [@harpalong](https://community.cartalk.com/u/harpalong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/28 "2014-07-22T01:31:04Z")
Thanks for your responses insightful and Triedaq. Is there a deadline to this recall about the DRL? I didn’t see anything in the article. If there’s no deadline, it looks like my local dealership will have a lot of work to do on my car IF THEY HAVE THE PARTS! I hate to say that I know that jingle too. So now you know that dates me! Thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/29 "2014-07-22T01:36:25Z")
There should be no time limit on a recall, I think. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/30 "2014-07-22T04:05:46Z")
There are no deadlines on recalls and there are actually 3 recalls on the 2005 Malibu Maxx: 1. Brake lights may or may not randomly illuminate (5/14/2014) #13036 call 800-222-1020 2. Transmission shift cable may break/roll away (4/30/2014) # 14152 call 800-553-6000 3. Sudden loss of electric power steering 3/31/2014) # N140115 call 800-630-2438 If you are not the original owner or moved and did not inform the dealer or have work done at a Chevrolet dealer at your current address, they would not know how to contact you. Call at least one of the telephone numbers above to inform them of your current address so that Chevrolet can notify you by mail when the parts are available. Parts are not available for #3 and GM has not provided a notification schedule for #1 and #2. These recalls are part of GMs new way of looking at recalls. ---
**Author:** ![252525](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/a88e57/32.png) [@252525](https://community.cartalk.com/u/252525)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/31 "2014-07-22T04:19:07Z")
Thank you for all the replies. Sorry I was away for a couple days. @Fender1325‌ it is a 02 Dodge Durango. It seems that even the best compounds will not last really long, so I’ve decided to replace both headlights. A quick internet search shows sets from $100 to $250. I think it will be a better solution in a long run. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![pilotcar94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5e9695/32.png) [@pilotcar94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pilotcar94)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/32 "2014-07-22T05:31:37Z")
I just use toothpaste and a little sand with a buffer pad on my drill works great tons of YouTube videos on diy ---
**Author:** ![Fender1325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fender1325](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Fender1325)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/33 "2014-07-22T06:31:17Z")
@252525 Rock Auto has them starting at $51 ---
**Author:** ![252525](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/a88e57/32.png) [@252525](https://community.cartalk.com/u/252525)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115/34 "2014-07-22T06:47:38Z")
@Fender1325‌ thanks for the tip! [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/renewing-yellowed-headlights/86115.md?page=1)